I-96 Speedway added to 2018 DIRTcar Summer Nationals Schedule

4/10-mile dirt oval in West Michigan will wrap up two-race stretch in the Great Lakes State

CONCORD, NC — March 2018 — A final adjustment to the 33rd Annual DIRTcar Summer Nationals schedule was put into place with the addition of the I-96 Speedway on Thursday, July 12th. The DIRTcar Super Late Models and UMP Modifieds will wrap up their Michigan swing with a date at the 4/10-mile (0.400) high-banked dirt oval located east of Grand Rapids in Lake Odessa, MI. This event will be the first appearance at I-96 for the Summer Nationals and Summit Modified Nationals since the 2014 season.

The DIRTcar Summer Nationals has competed at I-96 seven times over the years, with the most recent event occurring back in 2014 when 2012 Summer Nationals Champion Brian Shirley scored the win. Four-time Summer Nationals Champion Shannon Babb has been to victory lane four times at I-96, with three of those coming consecutively from 2011-2013. His first triumph was during the tour’s first-ever appearance at I-96, back in 2005. Pinconning, MI ace Jeep VanWormer also has one triumph back in 2010.

The Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals have made four appearances in Lake Odessa, MI, with Jacob Poel, from nearby Spring Lake, MI, scoring three of those wins, the most recent in 2014. Poel, who has 10 career Summit Modified Nationals Feature wins overall, good for fifth all-time, also picked up victories at his home track back in 2011 and 2012. DIRTcar Super Late Model standout Dona Marcoullier briefly stopped Poel’s dominance with a Feature win in 2013 in a rare appearance behind the wheel of a DIRTcar UMP Modified.

The I-96 date will serve as the middle round of Champions Week, which rounds out the 2018 DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour schedule for the DIRTcar Super Late Models. For the first time since July 4, 2000, and for only the second time ever, Shadyhill Speedway in Medaryville, IN will kick off Champions Week on Tuesday, July 10. The next night, Thunderbird Raceway in Muskegon, MI will try again to host its first-ever Summer Nationals event on Wednesday, July 11. In 2017, the originally scheduled first-ever DIRTcar Summer Nationals race at the 1/3-mile semi-banked dirt circle located along the Lake Michigan shoreline was rained out.

After the I-96 event, the 33rd Annual DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour concludes with the traditional doubleheader weekend in the Buckeye State, at Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, OH on FridaySaturday, July 13-14. After going for a $5,000 payday on Friday, the track’s annual Birthday Race the next night will pay $10,000 to win and crown the 2018 DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour Champion.

The DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour will embark on its 33rd straight year of competition in 2018. In just 32 days, the premier drivers and teams within the DIRTcar Racing Late Model ranks will race in 28 events spread out over seven states, vying for almost $200,000 in first-place prize money over the marathon five weeks of competition.

A minimum of $5,000 to win is on the line each night, with nine of those events paying $10,000 to win. Additionally, each week’s points champion will receive a bonus $2,000, while the 2018 Summer Nationals Champion receives a whopping $25,000.

After the two days at Oakshade, the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds will conclude their own version of the Hell Tour with five additional events held as part of the 29th Annual Prairie Dirt Classic at Fairbury American Legion Speedway (IL) on FridaySaturday, July 27-28th. The top Modified drivers in the country will chase after a minimum of $1,000 to win each night and a $5,000 prize for winning the 2018 Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals Title.

See the full schedule and find more information about the 2018 DIRTcar Summer Nationals, visit thehelltour.com. Follow the tour throughout the off-season and into race month on both Facebook and Twitter for the very latest updates. The DIRTcar Super Late Models will be joined by the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds as the Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals runs parallel to the DIRTcar Summer Nationals. Information on the Modifieds can be found at modifiednationals.com.

2018 DIRTcar UMP Summer Nationals Schedule

DATE TRACK To Win
Wed. June 13 Peoria Speedway
Peoria, Ill.
$5,000 to win
Thurs. June 14 Kankakee County Speedway
Kankakee, Ill.
$5,000 to win
Fri. June 15 Sycamore Speedway
Maple Park, Ill.
$10,000 to win
Sat. June 16 The Dirt Oval at Route 66
Joliet, Ill.
$10,000 to win
Sun. June 17 Plymouth Speedway
Plymouth, Ind.
$5,000 to win
Mon. June 18 OFF
Tues. June 19 Belle-Clair Speedway
Belleville, Ill.
$5,000 to win
Wed. June 20 Jacksonville Speedway
Jacksonville, Ill.
$5,000 to win
Thurs. June 21 Spoon River Speedway
Canton, Ill.
$5,000 to win
Fri. June 22 Tri-City Speedway
Pontoon Beach, Ill.
$10,000 to win
Sat. June 23 Fairbury Speedway
Fairbury, Ill.
$10,000 to win
Sun. June 24 Tri-State Speedway
Haubstadt, Ind.
$5,000 to win
Mon. June 25 OFF
Tues. June 26 Charleston Speedway
Charleston, Ill.
$5,000 to win
Wed. June 27 Paducah International Raceway
Paducah, Ky.
$5,000 to win
Thurs. June 28 LaSalle Speedway
Lasalle, Ill.
$5,000 to win
Fri. June 29 Terre Haute Action Track
Terre Haute, Ind.
$10,000 to win
Sat. June 30 Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55
Pevely, Mo.
$10,000 to win
Sun. July 1 Lincoln Speedway
Lincoln, Ill.
$5,000 to win
Mon. July 2 OFF
Tues, July 3 Clarksville Speedway
Clarksville, Tenn.
$5,000 to win
Wed. July 4 Fayette County Speedway
Brownstown, Ill.
$5,000 to win
Thurs. July 5 Macon Speedway
Macon, Ill.
$5,000 to win
Fri. July 6 Farmer City Raceway
Farmer City, Ill.
$10,000 to win
Sat. July 7 Highland Speedway
Highland, Ill.
$10,000 to win
Sun. July 8 Quincy Raceways
Quincy, Ill.
$5,000 to win
Mon. July 9 OFF
Tues. July 10 Shadyhill Speedway
Medaryville, Ind.
$5,000 to win
Wed. July 11 Thunderbird Raceway
Muskegon, Mich.
$5,000 to win
Thurs. July 12 I-96 Speedway
Odessa, MI
Fri. July 13 Oakshade Raceway
Wauseon, Ohio
$5,000 to win
Sat. July 14 Oakshade Raceway
Wauseon, Ohio
$10,000 to win
Links

I-96 Speedway

Categories

Tags